CBS Journalist Assaulted in Cairo

CBS correspondent Lara Logan suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating while covering the celebration in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for “60 Minutes.” The assault occurred on Friday, February 11, the day Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down. CBS News issued a statement regarding the incident on Tuesday, February 15.

Logan became separated from her crew and security in the crush of a mob and was rescued from the assault by a group of women and Egyptian soldiers. She later was able to return to her hotel and flew back to the U.S. the following morning. Logan is currently recovering in the hospital and she and her family have requested privacy at this time.

The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarmed at the news about Logan. She currently serves on the Journalist Assistance Committee, which oversees the program that provides financial and other support to journalists around the world who have been victims of violence and repression.

A week before Friday’s attack, Logan and her crew were detained for a day by the Egyptian military and then released. Many other journalists are returning to the U.S. due to heightened concerns for the safety of all journalists. Since the beginning of the uprising in Egypt, more than 50 journalists covering it have become targets of violence.